Two Strand Twist Out for Hubby's Birthday!

Hello everyone!  I'm feeling very blessed to have some time to blog!  Last week I finished up my first semester of Grad classes and earned straight A's.  I did so well that my adviser is recommending me to do another independent study with a very well known gifted and talented author and teacher next semester.  She is currently writing four books and teaching!  Wow!

Christmas was a blast here in cold MN and even colder in ND.  Christmas day was -7 in ND and I was missing warm and balmy MN that was 9 degrees.  I feel very blessed to have wonderful friends and healthy family, but I need a vacation from my vacation.  Anyway, I haven't posted anything about hair in a while so here is my two strand twist out I did today for my hubby's birthday. 

Dec.29, 2012 two strand twist out.

My hair is getting longer and I'm noticing that my hair grows faster in the summer and slower in the winter.  No complaints from me.  I'm just happy that my hair is healthy.  I could live without the fairy knots (single strand knots).  I looked back at my blog and saw that I haven't done a two strand twist out on my entire head since this past summer.  Below is a picture of the last two strand twist out.

June 12, 2012 two strand twist out.

As you can see my hair has grown a lot since June 2012.  When I pull the curls down in the front, my hair is now curling around my chin.  Almost ten inches now and I'm thrilled!

My birthday is in a couple of weeks and the hubby out did himself this time.  I'm huge on quality time with the ones I love and since I don't need or want for any material things the hubby arranged for me and 25 of our friends and family to volunteer at Feed My Starving Children on the Saturday before my birthday.  What better way than to pack food for hungry children all over the world for your birthday party!

On a different note, I'm considering flat ironing my hair for my birthday.  Of course my mother wants me to relax it again (NEVER happening again mom), but maybe a once a year thing during my birthday month .  I'm not sure yet.  Kinda scary to go this long with curls and then risk the possible damaging effects of flat ironing.  Pipe in and let me know what you think.  I respect my natural hair readers, just be nice.  Until next time...

Blessings!

Light at the end of the tunnel

Just a very quick note since I haven't posted in over a month.  I'm finishing up my last project and I'm on page 20 of my write up.  It's due Wednesday and I'm seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.  My advisor is so pleased with me that she wants me to write my thesis next semester to get it out of the way, then finish up my classes this summer and fall 2013.  That would mean that I would be done next December 2013 instead of spring 2014.  I promise I will post soon and I have missed you all.  If  I don't post before Christmas, I want to wish everyone a very merry Christmas!

I think I'm in love...well at least a style I really like!

Hello everyone!  I'm totally loving my hair in flat twist outs!  I find that I can control the direction of how my curls will lay better with a flat twist out then a two strand twist out.  I have also learned to cheat a little by just re-twisting just the front.  The results are that my hair gets fuller and fuller as the days go by.  In the last two weeks I think I have worn my hair in a flat twist out on about 10 of those days.

I took these pictures last Thursday and my son demanded to be in a picture.  So, I swooped him out of the tub, tossed a towel on him and snapped a quick picture.  Of course he is chewing on his new car from grandma.  My son loves it when I take a picture of him with my digital camera and then show him the picture.  Until next time...
Blessings!

Flat twist out and loving it!

Ignore my wierd face, I'm just trying to get a good picture of my hair.

 Hello everyone!  The hubby and I both had teacher convention today so we got to spend the day together and actually have lunch alone without our toddler!  Last night I was debating what to do with my hair because I usually co-wash on Wednesdays, but didn't because I was loving my two strand twist out.  So, since my two strand twist out was getting fuzzy I decided to try some flat twists. 

Last night I put nine flat twists in my hair, sprayed a little water (focus on little) on the twists and went to bed on my satin pillow.  This morning I decided to take the flat twists out before I got in the shower to see how they looked and I was in love!!  I still thinking this is the bomb!

 As you can see from the collage, I'm loving this style!  It was wet and drizzly so my hair is even bigger than it was this morning when I left for the convention.  I think plump is a good word to describe how my hair felt after being outside.

Flat twist out before misty weather made it fuller.

I liked the (wet) two strand twist out, but this flat twist out is awesome.  My hair is stretched a little, the curl pattern is lovely and my hair is soft and bouncy.  It only took me about 20 minutes to install the flat twists and that was because I was trying to make the front parts consistent and even.  The back was just part and twist.

This look will easily start coming into the rotation of styles, I just need to figure out how to maintain it for a couple of days.  Until next time...
Blessings!

Church hair - twist out

Hello everyone!  It's been awhile since I've posted anything about my hair.  Well, yesterday I decided to two strand twist my whole head and today I wore a twist out.  At first, I looked at my results and didn't know what I was going to do with my hair.  So, I separated my hair and fluffed out the roots and added my signature flower.

The hubby liked the look.  I think partly because he didn't want to be late for church this morning and because he liked the different style on me.  He actually asked we what this style was called!  The man amazes me sometimes.  He has been listening to me ramble about my hair and the different styles I have been doing.  I heard him on the phone to his mother explaining that I was wearing my hair in a "twist out" today and it looked good.

It only took me about 30 minutes to make about 25 twists in my hair.   All I used was my Aussie Moist conditioner as my leave in and then I started to twist my hair.  I think that tomorrow I will like it even more the bigger it gets.  I took a picture of the back of my head and as clear as day my grays are sticking out and waving at me.

The ends of my hair have a nice coil and then I notice those grays.

Until, next time...
Blessings!

My friend Keith

Hello everyone!  As many of you already know last Thursday September 27, 2012 my friend Keith Basinski was a victim of a work place shooting.  He was the UPS driver that just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.  My hubby and I met Keith at our church were we happened to sit in the same section.  We got to know him through other friends and he was the one who got us involved into Royal Rangers which is a Christian version of Boys Scouts at our church.

Keith lived his life quietly and morally.  His three children are all adults and his daughter just had a baby three weeks ago.  He was planning to meet his first grandchild later this month on a well earned vacation.

My hubby took this picture of Keith painting the new garage at church.

Keith was very much involved in children's ministry even though all his children were grown.  When I taught the kindergarten class for Royal Rangers he was the guy that the kids loved to play with.  He would come up with the funniest games to play inside when it was really cold outside.  He would color with the kids and read stories to them.  I never heard him raise his voice and he was reliable and dependable.

Just three weeks ago my hubby was asked by our church to paint a new garage.  The hubby called Keith and his response was when do you want to do it.  Last week the church acknowledged all the people that worked to build, roof, and paint the new garage.  Keith's name was accidentally left out.  His response was, and I quote "I didn't do it to get my name in the church bulletin".  If you ever needed help and he could help you he would drop everything.  The only bad thing I can say about Keith is that he was a Green Bay Packer fan and this is Minnesota!  Of course we forgave him because he was from Green Bay.

Keith was well loved and he will be missed.  The only comforting thing is that I know he is with the Lord.  He was a born again Christian and he wasn't ashamed of that fact.  I cried today in church when our pastor talked about him and the hubby wasn't holding anything back.  Click here to view a video from one of our local stations about Keith.  In the video Keith's brother Jeff is interviewed.  Jeff is the person my hubby drove around Thursday night and Friday morning to identify the body and meet with the ME.  Until I see you in heaven Keith...
Blessings!

How I've been wearing my hair lately

Hello everyone!  First of all I want to thank everyone for the prayers for Keith and his family.  I plan to do a post about him sometime this week.

It has been a long time since I posted anything about my hair.  About three weeks.  So, I went through my camera and noticed that I had three different pictures on the exact same style that I wore on three different days.  It's basically a wash n go (about 2-3 days old) style with the bangs in a flat twist and of course a flower.

I'm amazed that I basically tip my head the same way and that this style basically comes out the same way every time.

Next, is a flat twist out from the picture on the right.  I liked the way my hair was stretched and the overall look was big hair.  

Today I wore a wash n go.  Simple and the curls are very nice.  The weather is gorgeous and I decided to take a walk along the creek by my house.  The trees are changing and the leaves are worth maybe a drive to check out.

Thank you for following me even though I haven't posted a lot lately.  Until next time...
Blessings!

Prayers please

Up here in Minneapolis a horrible work place shooting happened today.  A church friend who is a UPS driver was involved in the shooting.  At this point I don't know if he was a victim (at this point 3 are confirmed dead), injured (4 hospitalized), or a witness (dozens).  All I know is that his USP truck has been confirmed at the scene and all the TV footage shows yellow "do not cross" tape pulled around his truck.  This incident happened in a very quiet "safe" neighborhood and my husband works just blocks away.  I'm begging for prayers! It's 10:45pm and the hubby drove down to the scene when he found out that our friend is involved to meet with his adult children.  Please raise our friend Keith up in your prays and his family.

Versatile Blogger Award

I have been nominated for the Versatile Blogger Award by not one but three lovely ladies!  JazzWife, Natmane and Coilybella.  Thank you and I'm honored that you ladies would think about me and pass this award to me.  

 

I have been really busy.  Between attending my grad classes, going to work, mommy time with my son, hubby time (you all know what I mean), cooking, house work , and shopping my life is very busy.  I hate to appear to be ignoring my blog and all my blog friends, but I'm trying to get ahead on my school work because I will be going to Arkansas the first weekend in October for a family reunion on my mother's side of the family (her father's side).  Anyway back to the award.

Here are the rules for nomination

Thank the Blogger who nominated you

Share (7) random facts about yourself

Nominate (15) fellow blogger that you recently discovered or follow regularly

Inform each nominated blogger of their nomination by posting a comment on each of their blogs

Add the Versatile Blogger Award to your post 

Seven random facts about me:

1.  My father was in the Air Force and I got to live in Spain for three years as a child.

2.  My husband is my best friend and I put my marriage first even before my relationship with my son. (Don't judge me, if you have a strong marriage your relationship with your children will be strong.)

3.  I don't listen to secular music in my car.  Only instrumental/classical and christian music in car.  This has made me a kinder more flexible driver and my doctor says it has lowered my blood pressure.

4.  For the first time ever, I bought a new car recently.

5.  I love my dogs, but after having my son, in the future it will either be children or animals not both.

6.  I hate wearing the color green.  It makes me look sick.

7.  I have divided my garden and planted my flowers in my neighbors gardens without asking.  I'm called the "gorilla gardener" in my neighborhood.

 

Okay, so I'm not going to nominate 15 other bloggers.  I just don't have the time to look up everyone who has done this and not.  So, this is what I'm gonna do.  If you have read this and not been nominated, I'm nominating you.  I promise, I will tomorrow night read whoever does this in response to my suggestion. 

Until next time...

Blessings 

 

Zucchini bread kind of weekend

Tomato thief caught red pawed and looking guilty.

The evidence, half eaten tomato.

Hello everyone!  This weekend has been busy.  I got all my homework done on Saturday leaving my Sunday wide open.  I finally got some tomatoes worth canning and to my demise I found that two of my very large heirloom tomatoes were half eaten and left to rot on the ground.  At first I thought "do squirrels eat tomatoes?".  Then I caught my little dog Peanut Butter nibbling on a tomato right on the vine!  Can you believe my mutt is eating my tomatoes?  Hello!  At first I was really mad, but then I had to get my camera and take a picture of her looking all guilty and of course the evidence of a half eaten tomato.  My son chased her around the backyard saying over and over "leave the tomatoes alone Peanut" and "not yours".  It was so cute!  My son chasing the dog and the dog looking and acting like her paw was caught in the cookie jar.

Anyway, back to my zucchini.  I made six loaves of zucchini bread today and I still have enough zucchini to probably make six more loaves.  I bought about twenty dollars worth of supplies to make my zucchini bread.  So, if I get 12 loaves that's $1.66 per loaf.  Not bad.  I found a recipe that I liked and I swapped out using whole wheat flour instead of all purpose.  I found that when you swap out all purpose flour with whole wheat flour you need to add some water to moisten the batter.  Well, it only took the hubby one batch to demand a loaf for work.  So, two loaves became four, then six and tomorrow I'm making two more loaves because I still have some zucchini left.

Zucchini bread cooling.

Here's the recipe I used.  Let me know if you try making this bread.  If you prefer to use all purpose flour just omit the water.  Until next time...
Blessings!

Mom's Zucchini Bread

Ingredients

• 3 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 1/4 cups white sugar
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ¾ cup water
• 2 cups grated zucchini
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. Sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl.
3. Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, water and sugar together in a large bowl. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well. Stir in zucchini and nuts until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Run a knife alone the edges then remove bread from pan, and completely cool on rack.  Bread can be frozen.

Click here to watch the video to make zucchini bread. 

One wash n go ... three great looks

Hello everyone!  I started my grad classes this week and I'm blown away with all the reading I need to do.  My independent study will be more work than taking a class, but I didn't want another evening class.  Seeing my hubby and spending time with my boy is too important.  I woke up at six this morning and realized that this was the end of my third week of being back to work.  I observed that it was dark outside and that three weeks ago the sun was up.  I went snow boot shopping with my son today and the high temp today was only 68 degrees.  So, for me summer is officially over and winter will be here sooner than I want and fall (even though it's beautiful) is just a reminder that winter is almost upon us.

Anyway, I did my usual wash n go this week and I got three great looks out of it.  The first two photos are my wash n go from my nephew's birthday party on Saturday that I posted this past Monday.  I simply pinned the sides with a barrette on top of my head, made a pompadour with my bangs, and added a flower (of course).  Besides a low grade headache four hours later, this was an easy quick style and I will do it again.  Next time, I will figure out how to do this without the headache.

This next group of pictures is day two and day three hair.  The top row is day two.  I decided to twist my bangs that were in the pompadour into about nine small twists before I went to bed.  I sprayed a little water and slept in my silk scarf.  In the morning I took my twists out, pulled my hair into a puff, and add my new purple flower.  Cute style and I got a lot of compliments on my new flower and earrings.

For day three hair.  I didn't do much.  I didn't re-twist, I just went to bed with my silk scarf, pulled my new headband on and fluffed my hair.  I also got some compliments on this look.  I love how my hair is bigger, but the curls are still popping!  If you look closely in the back my grays are sticking out.  I don't care.  I even have a few in the front.  So.  I love this new headband.  It's just tight enough to hold my hair back, without slipping or causing a headache.  I love the fact that my hair is long enough to have bangs!  The extremes in MN tempatures this week had me in shorts and then wool socks today.  I'm loving the fact that I can wear my hair up or down so I can be warm or cool.

My son and his zucchini.  I love this picture.

On a totally different topic.  A neighbor of mine shared some zucchini with us and my son wanted to be a big boy and carry it home.  This large zucchini was too heavy for him, so I had to help him out.  I had to get a picture of him with this zucchini.  I plan to make zucchini bread this weekend, but first I got homework and reading.  Until next time...
Blessings!